Intermediate Spanish - Spanish Obsessed

Rob and Lis discuss how various "barrios" in Colombia's cities have undergone transformations, using tourism to rejuvenate themselves. We discuss the case of "Egipto" in Bogotá, and "Comuna 13" in Medellin. Have these projects been successful, and what are the tours like?
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So, our time in Colombia is nearly up! After over 4 years living here, we're leaving. In this episode, we reflect on what we'll most miss about the country.
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Rob and Lis break down 5 big areas that learners often go wrong when learning Spanish.
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We talk about our opinions and philosophy of private and public schools (or "state and public" for our English listeners!). How do they compare in Colombia, and what's the perspective here?
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Rob and Lis share how they passed Christmas and New Year's in Colombia's Coffee Country region. We share strange, symbolic traditions, and discuss how weird it is to have Christmas in warm sun!
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Following the shocking capture of Nicolás Maduro in Caracas last Saturday, we sit down to give our reaction. Is Colombia next in line? Also, on a lighter note, Rob discusses turning 40!
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We share a few anecdotes when our emotions got the better of us when learning or speaking a foreign language. What happened, and how can we deal with the frustration (and rage!!) that often accompanies communication difficulties in a foreign language?

Rob and Lis share news of what's coming for them next.

We give a quick "life update" - what's going on in our lives, and how did we get to this point?

Lis and Rob discuss their recent immersion trip in Colombia's coffee country. What went well, what could they improve, and what did the participants make of it all?

How do you say "no" in Spanish? Rob is fond of turning down invitations, and in this episode he discusses the hidden cost of saying "no" in Spanish-speaking cultures, and why many native speakers find it so hard.

Lis and Rob discuss how our personality and self-identity change when we speak a foreign language. They also talk about how certain Spanish phrases and sayings express something profound about native speakers see the world.

We discuss the ex-president of Colombia, Álvaro Uribe. Uribe was credited with creating the conditions for lasting peace in Colombia, and opening the country up to the world. He was a hero to many in Colombia, but recently has been faced with allegations that bring his legacy into question. 

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Comparing ourselves to others is natural, but is it always harmful? Rob describes his problems with self-comparison, and with Lis discusses how to turn negatives into positives.

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We explore "la charla" - small talk. What is it, how is it used, and why? Find some tips for better smalltalk in Spanish in this episode!
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We are apparently going through an "epidemic of loneliness" - especially middle aged men! What could be behind this, and do we see this in our own lives?

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The infamous "suegra" - in-law. In Latin cultures, the suegra plays a pivotal part in a couple's life. In this episode, we explore their role, the stereotype, and reveal how we get on with our suegras. 

Money makes us happy, to an extent... But, how much do we need? In this episode, we discuss the link between happiness and wealth, and what our cultures and society teach us about happiness.

Part two of Rob's conversation with Johana. Discover how to master two essential uses of 'por' and 'para' in Spanish: time expressions and opinions. Learn the crucial differences between phrases like "para mañana por la mañana" and why "por mí está bien" means something different from "para mí está bien." Through practical examples from everyday Spanish conversations, you'll finally understand when to use each preposition with confidence.

Rob and Johana discuss "por" and "para". Why are these words so difficult for learners, and what approach can we take to tackling them? In this episode, we'll look at two common uses for por and para.

Join Rob and Spanish teacher Johana in a conversation about Spanish slang. What are the difficulties for us as learners in learning slang, and is it even worth it? 

Rob and Lis discuss an infuriating situation where they live, and what this shows about classism in Colombia

We discuss learning Spanish later in life. While we are not (just yet) in that situation, we have inspiring students who have shared with us how they are successfully learning Spanish in their senior years.

Our experiences trying to teach our 2 year old daughter Spanish and English. 

We recently held our first full Spanish immersion trip in Bogota, where we were joined by 10 participants. Here's how it went.

How important is a native accent, and is it possible to develop one? Is it even desirable? 
Rob and Lis talk about their own efforts to develop better accents, and some reasonable goals for learners.

Earlier this year, two protestors threw soup over the Mona Lisa. This follows a long list of similar protests of vandalism of artwork - they got our attention, but do the ends justify the means? And, are these types of protests still effective?

We discuss the trend of "positive thinking" - where does this trend come from, and how have we found it? Also, how is it connected to the concept of "manifestation"?

Rob and Lis recently moved to the "Coffee Axis" in Colombia, not just so Rob could feed his caffeine addiction.
They discuss their new lifestyle, and how it compares to city living (so long, Bogota!).

Have you seen the show "Traitors"? Rob and Lis got hooked on it, and discuss it in this episode.

Have you met someone truly "toxic"? What do you think made them that way? 
In this episode, Lis and Rob discuss the "Fundamental Attribution Error" - when we try to explain someone's behavior based mostly on their personality and don't think enough about the situation they are in. 

¿Qué hace que una relación a largo plazo tenga éxito, y hasta qué punto podemos predecirlo de antemano? 
¿Existe un alma gemela para todo el mundo, o podemos decidir a quién queremos?

Why do we decide to bake cookies when we've got a deadline tomorrow?
How has procrastination affected us, and what can we do about it? Lis and Rob explore their own experiences with procrastinating, and discuss 3 effective strategies to combat it.

Status symbols... How do people mark themselves as high status around the world, and have we fallen into these traps?

We discuss coming up with business ideas, and how running a business has changed our lives. Also, some new business ideas, both from us and our friends! Rob describes his "Ayahuasca for Silicon Valley" business idea, as well as new cafe concept called "The hangover"...

Lis and Rob talk noisy neighbours, sounds of the city, and noise pollution. How noisy are our cities, and how much does this bother us?

We chat with Andrea and Nate, who run Spanish Land. They divide their time between USA and Colombia - how do they find life compares in the two countries, and what are their plans for the future?

We've been parents to our daughter, Ana Paz, for nearly a year now. Here, we reflect on what we expected going into it, and how things really were in reality.